Reddy links Guptas to Malema’s utterances
DURBAN businessman Vivian Reddy believes the controversial Gupta family has tarnished the reputation of Indian business owners. Reddy made the comment in response to the EFF leader Julius Malema’s disparaging remarks about the Indian community last week.
At the Curries Fountain Stadium in Durban, Malema, addressing his party’s fourth birthday bash, ranted about the behaviour of Indian bosses towards workers.
“They don’t pay our people; they pay them in food parcels. In Kwazulu-natal political parties are captured, maybe not by the Guptas, but they are in the pockets of other Indian families,” Malema said.
Reddy believed Malema was only referring to a handful of business owners who were exploiting workers. The Edison Property Group chief believes the Gupta controversies have cast a black cloud over Indian entrepreneurship.
“There is no doubt the negative narrative around Gupta business dealings created a climate of negativity around Indian business owners.”
He assured that finalisation of the issue (state capture) would allow for the country to focus on positive matters.
Reddy said the matter had been discussed with both Malema and King Goodwill Zwelithini and the monarch was planning to convene a business Indaba which would bring Indian and African leaders around the table.
“We have grown up together in KZN. We need to have more dialogue on social cohesion issues,” said Reddy.
EFF secretary-general Godrich Gardee stood by his leader’s utterances: “The EFF reaffirms Malema’s comments condemning the exploitation and racism that Africans suffer, in particular (from) Indian businesses.”